For years, European players were something of an afterthought in the NBA. They were (often unfairly) labeled as soft, not tough enough and frankly not good enough to hang with their American counterparts. But those days are long gone. Two European players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have combined to win the last four NBA MVP awards, and Slovenian Luka Doncic is maybe the NBA’s best player under 25. All of which makes EuroBasket 2022 arguably the most competitive basketball tournament in the world after the NBA Playoffs. EuroBasket, which is now played every four years, features the top national teams from across Europe, in an atmosphere that is akin to a mix of March Madness and Soccer’s World Cup. Former Vice President for Strategic Research with the San Antonio Spurs, Kirk Goldsberry was reporting on the ground from EuroBasket, and explains why understanding Europe is essential to understanding the modern NBA.

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